


The Other Side

by lechaton17



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Emotional, Feels, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, No Smut, Post Season 7, SHEITH - Freeform, Season 7 Spoilers, Will add tags as I go, shieth thats shiro and keith, slightly paranormal, this is a sad one folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-17 20:04:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 17,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16102838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lechaton17/pseuds/lechaton17
Summary: Post Season 7 finale/Season 7 spoilers. Sheith.Keith hasnt woken up since their final battle.But when Shiro sleeps, he sees Keith in his dreams.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello friends, 
> 
> I've been planning this story for a little while, and decided since my last story, Imperfection was finished, I would go ahead and start this while I still had the inspiration. 
> 
> Some warnings:
> 
> This will take place after the battle at the end of season 7, so possibly spoiler-ish if you havent watched that far (though Im really just doing my own thing with it anyway.)
> 
> This will be sad, so know that going into it. 
> 
> Shout out to the song The Other Side by Ruelle. I named this story after that song, because it was after I listened to it that this story came to life for me. Please give it a listen, though I'll admit it made me cry :')
> 
> Please leave kudos or a review if you like! I'm still pretty new to the VLD fandom so I hope to do the characters and series some justice.

Takeshi Shirogane was being hailed as a hero, but he felt nothing like one.

 

Currently, he felt actually like a failure. Because he had failed to keep the people closest to him safe. If he had been a hero, he wouldn’t be sitting alone in a hospital room, the one person he loved more than any other desperately clinging to life.

 

If anyone was a hero, it was the person lying unconscious in the bed in front of him. Keith Kogane, the person Shiro loved with his entire being.

 

The steady beep of the heart monitor was Shiro’s only companion. It had become comforting to him. It was the only thing that was consistent, and was the one thing that reminded Shiro that Keith was still alive. 

 

Shiro was exhausted, but he didn’t want to sleep. He didn’t want to leave Keith there alone. 

 

It had been over a day since the lions had fallen back to Earth following their battle with the Galra and the Robeast. Shiro had had to stand there and watch helplessly as the lions flew the beast up into the atmosphere, protecting earth from the detonation that would have killed them all. Everything from that moment on felt like such a blur to Shiro. The panic. The fear. Running, as fast as he could, towards the black lion, which had fallen closest to him. Wondering where the others had fallen. Wondering if they were all right, if they were even alive. Forcing his way into the black lion, crying out for Keith and getting no answer. Climbing through to the cockpit and finding Keith slumped over, and the blood and pulling him into his arms-

 

Shiro took a deep breath. It was too much to think about. He’d be happier if he could forget the sight of Keith, broken and bleeding in his arms.

 

The other paladins were all rescued. Their friends and family were with them, now. None of them were too badly hurt, thankfully. Mostly they just needed rest, and would be okay in a couple days’ time. Shiro had gone to visit each of them, and they had all cried and hugged him.

 

Everyone was hugging him, and congratulating him, and thanking him, like he was some sort of huge hero. The Captain of Atlas. Their Savior.

 

Everyone was there. Everyone except Keith. 

 

Keith hadn’t woken up yet. The doctors said that he’d hit his head pretty bad, and thanks to taking hits in battles he’d already faced, his body was weak. There was a tube in his throat to help him breathe, because he’d been unable to breathe on his own. They weren’t sure what was going to happen to him at this point. Only time would tell. All they could do was wait. They said to keep hopes up, because Keith was young and strong. He could come back from this. He could survive.

 

He could, or he could not.

 

Krolia had been contacted and was on her way. Shiro didn’t want to think about her. He knew that Keith and Krolia had grown quite close. He could only imagine how upset- and possibly angry- she would be when she arrived. Would she be angry with Shiro, for not protecting her son?

 

 Shiro had a lot to do. People were looking up to him, expecting him to do and say all the right things. He’d become some sort of leader, the go-to person, not only to the Garrison, but to the universe. 

 

And he didn’t care about any of that. He just wanted Keith to wake up. 

 

Would saving the world matter? Would saving the universe matter, if Keith wasn’t there?

 

Of course it mattered. Shiro knew that in the grand scheme of things, Keith would have gladly given his life to save the lives of others. Keith was a paladin of Voltron, after all. Shiro would have done the same thing if he’d been in Keith’s shoes. He was unbelievably proud of Keith for his heroism and bravery. He was proud of each of the paladins of Voltron, who had already sacrificed so much to save the universe time and time again.

 

And Keith had sacrificed so much to save Shiro time and time again.

 

_As many times as it takes._

 

But Shiro hadn’t been able to save Keith. And now, all he could do was sit there and hold his hand, hoping, begging and praying, that he would open his eyes.

 

Because if Keith were to die, Shiro wouldn’t know how to live.

 

How could he live, when half his heart was missing?

 

How could he live in a world where Keith Kogane was just a memory?

 

Losing Adam had been hard enough. Shiro had failed him, as well.

 

But Keith…Keith had grown so much. He had grown and blossomed into a strong, capable, dependable leader. He had gone from a kid with nothing but a broken heart to a man who gave Shiro _his_ heart.

 

Shiro loved him. Did Keith know it? Had he ever thanked Keith for saving him time and time again? Did he ever tell Keith how much he meant to him?

 

Iverson stepped into the room. “Shirogane,” he said, his tone careful. “They’re expecting you, to give your speech at the memorial. I know you are exhausted, and worried, but the people out there are counting on you.”

 

Keith was counting on him, too.

 

“I don’t want to leave him here alone,” Shiro told Iverson.

 

Iverson sighed. “Not a problem. Someone has offered to sit with him for you.”

 

Romelle stepped into the room. She gave Shiro a small, sad smile. “I will stay with him,” she said. “I can talk to him for a while.”

 

Shiro could tell that she wanted to. He sighed, caving. “All right.” He stood up. His body ached with exhaustion. “Please let me know if anything changes, and I will be back as soon as possible.”

 

Romelle took his chair. She carefully took Keith’s left hand in both of hers. “I will,” she said, her voice soft as she took in Keith’s appearance.

 

Shiro had been able to keep his tears at bay, but seeing Romelle look at Keith with such sadness almost broke him.

 

But he couldn’t break now. He had a speech to do. People were counting on him, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

The lions stood tall behind him as Shiro spoke to the crowd about those they had lost, and moving forward together. He put as much sincerity into his words as he couldn’t, even though his heart felt broken. After the speech was over, everyone was on him. They wanted to shake his hand and hug him and thank him. He put a smile on his face and accepted their kindness, though in his heart it felt undeserved.

 

Why did they all see him as this wonderful being, this weird ray of hope? It was hard enough to be dealing with everything that had happened, and then to have this added pressure.

 

Finally he was able to escape from the crowds and found his way back into the hospital ward. As no one had called him for any news on Keith, he decided to take a moment to check in on each of the other paladins. He merely peeked into their rooms, not wanting to disturb them. Lance’s family surrounded him, and he was laughing at his little nephew. Shiro smiled, glad to see Lance looking cheerful. He checked on Pidge next, who was sitting on her bed with Matt, and he was animatedly telling her a story as their parents sat by and watched with amused expressions. Shiro was honestly happy for the Holt family. After everything they had been through, they deserved to be together and happy.

 

He checked on Hunk next. Hunk’s parents were there with him, as well as Shay, and Hunk was introducing Shay to his parents. His parents looked a little nervous, probably because they hadn’t met many aliens yet. But they were warm and loving people, and they shook Shay’s hand as Hunk beamed.

 

Lastly, Shiro looked in on Allura. Coran was with her, telling her about Shiro’s speech, her little mice crawling around excitedly. Unfortunately, Shiro did not go unnoticed this time; Allura caught him standing in her door.

 

“Shiro,” she announced, and Coran stopped talking and looked around at him as well.

 

“Hey,” Shiro said, stepping into her room. “How are you, Princess?”

 

She smiled at him, though there was sadness in her smile. “I’m doing well, thank you. I feel very lucky.” She studied him for a moment. “How are you, Shiro? Have you gotten any sleep?”

 

“Not yet,” he said with a small smile. “I’ve been…I’ve been quite busy. Everything’s been happening so fast, and….” _And Keith hadn’t woken up_.

 

Her brows knitted with worry. “You need to rest,” she told him. “You took a lot on in battle. I know you are worried, and everyone has been all over you, but you really need your sleep. You won’t do anyone any good if you push yourself past exhaustion.”

 

“The Princess is right,” Coran agreed, nodding. “If you are worried about our black paladin, I can assure you that Romelle and I can keep an eye on him while you catch up on your rest.”

 

Shiro shifted uncomfortably. “I’d rather be there with him, in case….” He woke up?

 

He died?

 

“Shiro,” Allura said softly. “Romelle and Coran can sit with him for a few hours. He would want you to get your rest. You know that Keith loves you very much, and he wouldn’t want you pushing yourself for his sake.”

 

Shiro swallowed against the tightness in his throat. He was exhausted, and he felt like soon he would no longer be able to hold his emotions back. Perhaps a few hours alone wouldn’t hurt.

 

“All right,” he finally said, his voice sounding higher pitched than it should. “I will go check in on him now, and let Romelle know. Just-just promise me you will come to me, if anything in his condition changes?”

 

“Of course,” Coran said, placing a hand on Shiro’s shoulder.

 

“I’m-I’m glad you are feeling well,” Shiro told Allura, backing out of the room. “I promise I’ll come by again soon. Get your rest.”

 

“Shiro-“ Allura started, but Shiro was already gone, down the hall towards Keith’s room, trying his hardest to hold it together for another few moments.

 

Romelle was still sitting quietly, holding Keith’s hand when he arrived at his room. “Hello,” she said, turning to him. “There haven’t been any changes. He’s still hanging in there.”

 

Shiro took a deep breath. “Thank you, Romelle. Are you alright if I go lay down for a little while? Coran said he could switch you, if you want.”

 

Romelle smiled at him. “I don’t mind sitting with him,” she said, looking back at Keith. “I know I don’t know him as well as all of you, but he is still special to me. He saved me from that…awful place.”

 

Keith had saved so many people. But none of them could save him.

 

“Feel free to call for me if anything happens,” Shiro told her. He stepped forward, and placed his hand on Keith’s leg. He wondered if Keith could hear them, feel their touch. Did he know they were there, waiting for him to return?

 

Shiro swallowed his tears again. He couldn’t hold them back much longer. He left before she responded, and he was running, running until he was in the safety of his own room, shutting the door behind him as he gasped for breath. He slid down to the floor, as the sobs overtook him at last.

 

Shiro was so tired. He was tired of fighting. He was so tired of getting everything ripped out from under him. He was tired of the people in his life suffering, while he just stood back and watched helplessly.

 

He climbed into his bed, curling onto his side. He wished Keith was there next to him, with his warm and reassuring smile. Shiro closed his eyes, feeling unbelievably empty inside. He thought sleep would evade him, but it took him under in seconds.

 

And suddenly, he was outside the Garrison. The sun was out; it felt warm on Shiro’s back. He felt a million times better, like he had gotten a full night’s rest. His body didn’t ache, and he felt like he could breathe again. He was thankful for this dream, for being able to feel like everything was all right.

 

“Shiro?”

 

_Keith_. Keith’s voice, warm and loving and soft. Shiro turned, and there he was, looking at Shiro with a bit of confusion, and perhaps a bit of alarm.

 

“What- what are you doing here?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a really rough day today T.T But man was writing this a good distraction <3 
> 
> Thank you to all of you who have started reading! I'm hoping you enjoy the story <3

The last thing that Keith remembered was flying up into the atmosphere in the Black Lion, the rest of his team at his side, as they desperately tried to get the mysterious beast as far away from Earth as possible. And they had. They made it, and Keith had accepted his death. He'd accepted it because it meant that millions of others would survive. They had known what would happen when they made that decision to save Earth. It was there job, after all. As defenders of the universe. Keith's life hadn't been the best. To be fair, most of it had been pretty shitty. But the memories he'd made since joining Voltron, and the friendships and relationships he had the chance to make...well, they made it all worth it. He had learned how to open his heart again after so long, and he was grateful for it. 

His last thought before everything went black was of Shiro. Shiro, back down on Earth. Shiro was safe. Keith had promised that he'd save Shiro as many times as it took. 

We wished he had told Shiro how thankful he was for everything he had done for him. He wished he had told Shiro how much he loved him, one last time. 

But he hadn't had the chance. He hoped that Shiro knew. But at the very least, Shiro was safe.

And then, there was nothing. No pain, no fear, just....nothing. 

And then, with a bright flash of light, Keith was back at his childhood home. The house he'd lived in with his father, and at one point, his mother as well. 

Keith's first thought was that it must be heaven, or something like it. He had died, and his father must be there to welcome him. Keith ran into the house, his heart light. He would be able to see his father after all this time. Would he know about everything that Keith had done, and had been through? Had he been watching Keith all this time? Was he proud?

Was he disappointed? 

"Dad!" Keith called, running through the kitchen, the living room, up the stairs to his old room- it was all there, exactly the same as it had been when he was a child. He could not wait to see his father's face after all this time. To hear his voice, his laugh. Keith had missed it so much.

But his father was not there. 

Keith searched, his heart clenching painfully. He searched every room, calling out to his father. He went back outside, and walked around the entire house, and every piece of the property. 

But Keith was all alone. 

Tears stung at his eyes. For a moment, just a moment, he'd been okay with dying. For a moment he'd been a child again, a child who had waited so desperately for his father to return and hug him again. But just like when he was a child, his father was gone. No one was there to welcome Keith to heaven. 

Perhaps it wasn't heaven. Perhaps this was hell. Perhaps this was his punishment for all his short comings, for never being good enough. 

His punishment was to live alone for the rest of eternity, in a ghost of his old life, a never ending reminder of everything he had lost. 

How wonderful.

But then, Keith realized something. 

He _did_ hear voices. They just weren't very clear. 

He ran out and stared up at the sky. It was as if he were underwater, and someone was speaking just above the surface. But he didn't see any water. He clenched his fists and tried to concentrate as hard as he could. But it made his head ache terribly. There was so much pain, hitting him as if someone had swung a bat at his head. He gasped and fell to his knees, caught off guard. He just wanted to understand where he was, and what was going on. 

He fell into the dirt, and blacked out. 

The next thing he knew, he was in the Castle of Lions. 

It was eerie, being there alone. The castle was dark, and quiet. There was no Allura or Coran, no Hunk, no Pidge, no Lance. 

No Shiro. 

He walked through the halls and peeked into the rooms. It looked just as it had before it had been destroyed. It was just...empty. 

Keith sat down on his old bed. He head still hurt, but not as bad. He took a deep breath and laid back on the bed, his mind spinning. None of this made sense. It had to be some kind of fucked up afterlife. There couldn't be any other explanation, could there be? What had happened to the other Paladins? Were they all trapped as well, living in their own personal hells? Had they moved on to something better? Perhaps they were still alive, and that's why they weren't there. That gave Keith a little comfort, at least. He'd be happy if they had survived. He definitely didn't want any of them to feel the way he was feeling at that moment. 

Alone. 

The very worst kind of alone. He was alone in a ghost of his memories. 

" _Keith_."

Keith gasped as pain flared in his head. But he ignored it. He had heard it. His name. 

He had heard Shiro say his name. Shiro, somewhere far away, was calling for him. 

Keith ran through the Castle, but Shiro was no where to be found. But he was so, so sure it had been Shiro that said his name. Shiro's voice had always calmed him. Shiro was always steady, and comforting. Keith's heart ached at the thought of him. What he would give to see Shiro, to hug him, just to even answer him back. 

" _Keith. I...I love you. Please don't leave me here_."

"Shiro," Keith whispered, his tears falling as he turned in a circle, unsure of where to go or what to do. "I hear you, Shiro!" he cried out. "I'm...I'm trying to find you, but I don't know how!"

Keith's head hurt, and his heart hurt, and he needed to get out of here, he couldn't be here, not alone, not like this, this hadn't been what he wanted, this wasn't right-

He woke up again, at the base of the Blade of Marmora, where he'd gone through his trials. 

Of course, it was empty. 

Keith backed up until he hit a wall and sat there, trying to calm his racing heart. Breathe in, breathe out. There had to be some sort of explanation as to what was happening to him. Shiro had been stuck on the Astral plane, connected to the Black Lion. Perhaps this was something like that. He was stuck in some other reality, a reality of his own making. A reality where only he existed. 

Okay, that was terrifying. 

Voices spoke as if over a loud speaker, and Keith flinched at the pain in his head again. 

"...don't know when he will wake up. Or...if he'll wake up. All we can do now is wait."

"You can't do anything?" It was Shiro, and his voice broke Keith's heart. He sounded scared, desperate. 

"The most we can hope is that he is able to heal on his own and come back from this. But only time will tell. The longer it takes for him to wake up, the less likely it will be that he will wake up. I'm sorry, Shirogane."

"He-he'll wake up," Shiro told the voice. 

"I hope that he will."

The voices quieted. Keith sat there, his heart beating against his ribs. 

Okay, so maybe he wasn't really dead. Maybe he was just unconscious? Unconscious and stuck in this world that his brain had created. 

But he was still there. He was still alive. There had to be a way out of here. It was just another mission, was all. Perhaps if he looked at it that way. It was a mission he was given, and he must complete it. 

Escape his hell and return to Shiro. 

That shouldn't be too hard to do, right? Why would he have been brought there if there wasn't a way out?

_Patience yields focus_. He took a deep breath. He couldn't freak out. Not yet. This wasn't over. He would find a way back to Shiro, somehow. 

He closed his eyes, and relaxed his body. He was very tired for some reason. He fell asleep instantly. 

When he woke up this time, he was in the cave he had lived in with his mother for two years. It made his heart ache a bit. He missed her. 

"Shiro is very worried about you." Romelle? "He hasn't left your side since yesterday. He must love you a lot. I can see it, in the way he looks at you. It's different than the way he looks at anyone else. You are lucky, to have someone who loves you like that. He's here, fighting for you, even when the doctors seem to think there is little hope." She sighed. "I wish we could do something to help you. I'm not used to Earth's way of medicine. If only we had the technology we needed...not that I would really know anyway. I never got to learn the way Allura and Coran did. But...I want to." 

Keith sat there, listening to her words. He wondered where Shiro had gone. Hopefully to get some rest himself. He'd been there since yesterday? Had it already been a day that Keith had been stuck in this strange world? It had felt like only a couple hours. 

Romelle didn't speak again. Perhaps she did, but he wasn't able to hear her. He must not be able to hear constantly. Maybe it was because he had some kind of head injury, if he was unconscious. Maybe that was why his head ached so badly. At least some things made a bit of sense, though it really didn't make Keith feel any better. 

If he could hear them, then he must not be a total lost cause. Part of him was holding on. Part of him was fighting. 

How much time did he have to find his way back? If it took too long, would they give up on him? Would they stop talking to him? Would he just be stuck there, alone in silence, until death finally released him?

_Patience yields focus_ , he told himself sternly again. He couldn't think about those things. It would only freak him out, and that wouldn't do him any good. 

He closed his eyes. 

When he opened them, he was standing outside of the Garrison.

And Shiro was there, his back turned to him. 

* * *

Keith stood there, looking at Shiro in concern. "You-you shouldn't be here," Keith told him, but Shiro didn't understand why he was so scared. This was just a dream, wasn't it?

"Why not?" Shiro asked, stepping forward. Keith took a step back, as if he were afraid of Shiro.

"Be-because," Keith said shakily. "I'm....this...." He shook his head. "What happened to you? You- are you hurt?"

Shiro frowned. "No? I...I just went to sleep, after...." After the longest day of his life. After pulling Keith's broken body from the Black Lion.

"You-you were talking to me," Keith told him, his arms out in front of him to stop Shiro from coming closer. "You- and the doctor- and Romelle-"

Shiro's heart twisted. "How....how do you...?" Shiro didn't understand what was going on. Dreams never felt this real.

Keith's eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "I was trying to find my way back to you," he whispered. "B-but I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Shiro stepped towards him, and this time, Keith didn't step away. Shiro reached out with his hand and touched Keith's face. And Shiro _felt_ it. It felt as real as if they were standing there in front of one another. Keith put his hand over Shiro's, his tears falling. Shiro felt the tears wet his hand. 

"Tell me what happened," Keith whispered. "After...after the explosion."

Shiro's throat constricted with his own tears. "I pulled out of of the Black Lion," Shiro told him, close enough to count Keith's eyelashes, seeing the tears cling to them. "You were....hurt. Badly." Shiro breathed in, fighting the sobs. "Th-the doctors said you...you hit your head, and the injury...on top of everything else...they weren't sure if you would wake up or not. But...."

"You told them I would," Keith answered, his hand on Shiro's face now, wiping's Shiro's tears. 

Shiro smiled and nodded. Keith's hand fell, and his face flashed with worry. "The others? Are they-did they-?"

"They're okay," Shiro told him. "They are all resting and doing well."

Keith relaxed and smiled. "Good. That's good." He took a deep breath. "And you? You weren't hurt? I don't- I don't understand how else you'd be here."

"I'm okay," Shiro assured him. "I was just exhausted, and I went to sleep, and when I woke up...." He gazed at Keith. "This _is_ a dream, isn't it?"

Keith chuckled. "Maybe. I don't know what it is, yet. Everything keeps changing. And my head hurts. And I can hear voices. But I was always alone. I... I don't know what to do, Shiro. I don't know how to get home."

"Hey." Shiro took Keith in his arms, and Keith clung to him, burying his face in Shiro's shoulder. "You'll find you way back. I'll help you. I'll do whatever you need me to."

Keith sniffled, Shiro's shirt wet with his tears. "I'll keep trying."

Shiro kissed Keith's forehead, and Keith closed his eyes, and he collapsed in Shiro's arms, and Shiro caught him-

Shiro sat up with a gasp. His heart raced, and his arms felt incredibly empty. He was back in his room at the Garrison.

It took him a few moments to compose himself. That dream had felt so real. He had felt Keith in his arms, heard his voice as if he were really right there with him. He had wiped Keith's tears. And Keith had known- he'd known what had happened.

Shiro sighed and went to grab a glass of water from the bathroom sink. He studied his reflection in the mirror as he drank the water. He looked like shit. He wondered how long he'd actually been asleep.

Shiro looked at his shirt, something catching his eye. His left shoulder was slightly damp.

Right where Keith had buried his tear-strewn face as Shiro had held him.  

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the support, guys! <3

Shiro ran down the hallway, his heart racing. He hadn't even checked to see what time it was, but no one was really out and about, so most people were probably asleep. He ran until he reached Keith's hospital room, gasping for breath as he leaned on the doorframe. Coran was there, fast asleep, snoring slightly from the chair beside Keith's bed. And Keith was there as well, still unmoving. The heart monitor beeped steadily.

Shiro stood there, trying to catch his breath. That dream....it had been more real than any dream he'd ever had. Like Keith had really been there with him. His touch, his smell, his voice....everything was so tangible, so solid. And he had known so many things, about his condition, about things that had been said....

Finally, Shiro calmed himself. Keith was unconscious, in some kind of deep coma. Shiro had been overly exhausted and emotional. Of course the dream had felt so real. His heart wanted to hold Keith and talk to him more than anything. It wasn't surprising that he would have such a dream. And his wet shoulder...who knew. Maybe it was damp from sweat, or Shiro's own tears. It had only been a dream. Keith, the real Keith, was lying there in the hospital bed.

God, it hurt so much.

Shiro walked into the room, placing a hand on Coran's shoulder, causing him to jolt awake.

"I wasn't asleep!" Coran said wildly. "I was just resting my eyes."

Shiro smiled. "I'm here now, Coran. Go head and get to bed."

"Ah, Shiro." Coran looked him up and down. "Did you get enough rest, then? What time is it anyway?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Shiro replied, though now that he had calmed, he did still feel very tired. "I'll take over from here."

Coran sighed. "Very well." He stood up, offering the chair to Shiro. Shiro took a seat, immediately taking Keith's hand in his. Coran lingered a moment, his face full of sadness.

"He'll make it through this, Shiro," Coran told him. "Number 4 is a stubborn one, but he is full of fire. I think as long as we keep reminding him we are here, he will find his way back to us."

Shiro smiled at him appreciatively. "Thank you for staying with him, Coran."

Coran wiped his eyes. "It is an honor to serve you," he said with a bow, and left the room, sniffling.

Shiro sat there with Keith's hand in his, the remnants of his dream still lingering. This Keith in the bed in front of him seemed nothing like the Keith he was used to, nor the one in his dreams. It was still Keith, of course. It was his face and his mullet hair...but it was if he was empty, no longer there. Shiro hated to see him this way. After everything that he and Keith had been through together...Shiro wouldn't accept that this was how it was going to end. 

"I don't know if you can really hear me or not," he whispered.  "But don't give up. I'm still here, waiting for you. We all are. We all want you back."

The machines beeped in response, and Shiro felt incredibly lonely. 

* * *

 

Krolia arrived later that day, after the sun had risen and the Garrison had woken up. Shiro had been sitting next to Keith's bed for hours now, and he knew that soon he would need to get up and move about his day. No one had come asking for him, yet. Everyone was aware of Keith's condition, and no one wanted to be the one to tear Shiro away from Keith's side. But at the same time, he knew they wanted to. They needed him, their newfound hero, to help tell them what they should be doing and feeling and saying in this new world of theirs. 

But when Krolia arrived, Shiro knew that he would need to give her time with her son. He looked up as she appeared in the doorway, her face registering Keith's condition with a look of shock and sadness. She just stood there for a moment and stared, her fists clenching at her side. Shiro wasn't sure of how much she had known about what happened to Keith and how he had been doing. But even if she did know, that didn't stop the sight of Keith in that bed from hurting. Shiro knew that too well. 

"Krolia," he said, standing up. His voice seemed to have woken her a bit, and she looked at him, looking as lost as Shiro felt. 

"Shiro," she replied, and finally entered the room. She hesitated for a moment as she approached Keith's bed, as if she were afraid. But then she sat, on the edge of the bed, leaning over Keith to brush his hair back lightly. 

"He...." She took a deep breath. "He hasn't woken up at all?"

"No," Shiro said through a tight throat. 

"And they don't know that he will?"

 _You can't lose it now, Shiro_. 

"He will." Shiro tried to sound as confidant as he could, digging his nails into the palm of his hand. 

Krolia looked up at him. Her face softened, and she nodded. 

"Of course," she said. "They said you've been here with him the whole time."

"As much as I could," Shiro replied. "I-I didn't want to leave him alone. And there...." _There wasn't anybody else to sit with him._  

Krolia stood up, looking at Shiro so critically he wanted to take a step away. But then she smiled, and to his surprise, wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. 

"You've been good to him," she whispered. "I know he loves you very much, and I can see why. I'm glad you were here with him, Shiro."

Shiro felt his tears threatening him again. He hugged her back, realizing how much he had needed that small form of comfort. 

She pulled away and sat back down. "You should go, get some food and some rest. I can stay with him. I'll make sure he isn't alone."

Shiro didn't want to leave, but he knew that he had to. "Please, have someone contact me if anything changes," he told her, and she nodded, her eyes still on her son. Shiro couldn't think of any more words to say, so he left quietly, looking back one last time before disappearing down the hallway. 

 

* * *

 

Keith opened his eyes. It took him a few seconds to realize where he was. He jumped up with a gasp. He was back in the cloning facility where he had fought with Shiro. 

Of course, it was empty, and he was alone, but Keith did not want to be there. He never wanted to think of that place again. Why did he have to bring himself here, of all places? He'd wanted nothing more than to forget that this place had ever existed. He didn't want to think about Shiro, yelling hurtful words at him, Shiro, trying desperately to hurt him, to kill him. Keith knew in his heart that Shiro would never really hurt him. But it didn't mean those memories weren't still there. And it didn't mean that the memories didn't still hurt. 

 _Shiro_. Keith finally remembered. Shiro had been there, with him, seconds ago. They had been standing together outside the Garrison, and Shiro had held him in his arms. Keith looked around wildly, but he didn't see Shiro anywhere. He was even more confused now. How had Shiro been there? Had it been Keith's imagination? Some sort of dream within a dream? Perhaps it had been a way to torture him. To give him the one thing he wanted more than anything, just to rip it away from him and drop him in the one place he'd never want to return to. 

Keith's head flared with pain again. He fell back onto one of them empty capsules that had held one of Shiro's clones and slid down to the floor, wishing that it all would stop. He was exhausted, and confused, and it _hurt_ -

"...realize I was never the best mother to you."

Keith gasped, the tears silently sliding down his face. His mother was speaking to him. 

"I missed out on so much with you. And...and I know you had a rough time when you were younger. I should have been there. I should have, I know that. But...but I'm here now. I feel like I finally have a chance to make up for all the time I've lost. But...I can't do that if you don't wake up, Keith."

She was crying. Keith could hear her shaky breaths. He was crying, too. 

"The doctor told me today that the longer you are like this, the less chance you have of recovering. But I'm trying to believe. I'm trying to believe that you are going to wake up and be okay. Because I'm your mother. That's what it means to be a mother, isn't it? To never give up on your child. To love them unconditionally. So...so I won't let myself give up. I have to believe, because I'm not ready to let you go." She sniffled a bit. "I don't know if you can hear me or not. But...but if you can....Keith. Please. Don't stop fighting. Just...just wake up, okay? I already had to lose your father. I don't want to lose you too. I just got you back."

Keith leaned against the empty pod, hugging himself as his tears fell. He could feel how much she was hurting. He could feel how sad, and how desperate she was. His tears continued to fall. He felt so close, but a million miles away. He wanted to wake up. He wanted to open his eyes and let her know that it would be okay. He even tried. He used all the will he had in him. He thought of himself, lying in the hospital bed. _Just open your eyes_. It wasn't that hard. He thought about it as hard as he could. He just needed to open his eyes and make everything okay again. 

But when he opened his eyes, he was still in the facility, and his mother said no more. 

"Dammit!" Keith yelled, punching the floor beneath him. Why was it so hard? Why wouldn't he wake up? He was causing people pain. If he just woke up, then they wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. They wouldn't have to worry anymore. 

_Just drift off by yourself, Mr. Lone Wolf._

Maybe leaving people was what he was best at. 

He pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged himself, willing himself to wake up, to wake up so this could all be over. He was tired and afraid and he just wanted to _let go_. 

"He still wasn't woken up at all?"

Keith looked up. He was in his room at the Garrison. Pidge was talking. She was so close. 

"No." His mother. "But that doesn't mean you can't talk to him. I can't help but feel like he can hear us. If he can, maybe that will be enough to help him wake up."

"Keith!" Hunk. He was talking loudly. "Can you hear me?"

"You don't have to yell, Hunk," his mother said with a chuckle. 

"Hey, Mullet," Lance said. "I know you are the dramatic one and all, and of course you have to be the last one on your feet. But we get it now. You can wake up. It's...it's been long enough."

"Have the doctors said anything new?" Allura asked. 

"No," his mother answered. 

They were all there. He could almost feel them. He could picture them all. Hunk, Pidge, Allura, Lance...they were all okay, It was a relief, to hear them. Shiro had told him they were okay, but he couldn't help but worry for them still. 

"We know you'll make it through this, Keith," Allura said, her voice full of hope, but he could hear her worry. 

"Yeah, if anyone could beat this, it's you." Pidge added. 

"You're the one with the thick head, after all," Lance said, and Keith couldn't help but smirk. 

"We love you, man," Hunk said tearfully. 

Their voices faded. Keith stood up, walking to the door, reaching for the doorknob. Perhaps if he just tried to find them. Maybe it was that easy. 

But his fingers hovered over the knob. He couldn't bring himself to open the door. 

His team needed him. His mother needed him. Shiro needed him. 

Why was he hesitating? 

He thought of his empty childhood home, his father no longer there to welcome him. He thought of the Castle of Lions, nothing more than a memory. He thought of the Blade of Marmora, barely functioning and largely lost in the war. He thought of the cloning facility, and Shiro, and everything that had happened to them from the moment Shiro disappeared to Kerebros and never came back. 

So many bad things had happened. 

He was still so tired. How much had he slept? How long had he been there, in that ever-changing world of his?

He thought of those seconds before the explosion took him. His breath caught in his throat as he remembered the small, tiny part of him, who had accepted he was going to die...and felt a bit relieved. 

The realization scared him. He hadn't wanted to die, not really. 

But a part of him had been relieved, because he wouldn't have to fight anymore. 

His whole life had been about fighting. 

He didn't open the door. He laid back down on the bed. He didnt want to think about any of it anymore. He felt like he was going crazy. He didnt know how he felt about anything anymore. He just wanted everything and everyone to leave him alone. 

The blackness took him again. 

* * *

 The next time Keith woke up, he was sitting in the of the pilot seat Black Lion, and Shiro stood before him, staring out at the vast empty space they were flying through. 

"You're back."

Shiro started, turning to look at him. He looked surprised to see Keith there. 

"So are you," Shiro answered. "I...I guess I fell asleep. I'd been looking over some paperwork...." He shook his head, gazing at Keith. "I didnt think I'd see you like this again."

Keith stood up. "What do you mean?"

Shiro frowned. "Two dreams in a row? And it....it feels so...." Shiro stepped up to him. He traced the edge of Keith's face softly with his finger. "It feels so real."

"Nothing feels real to me anymore," Keith said, closing his eyes. But that was a lie. Shiro's touch felt real. 

He stepped around Shiro, afraid of the realness. He looked out at the empty cosmos. "My mother talked to me today," he told Shiro. "And so did the other Paladins."

Shiro stood next to him. "What did they say?"

"My mother asked me to wake up," Keith said quietly. "She talked about how she hadn't been the best mother, but she wanted to make up for it. But I had to wake up for her to do that. She...she doesn't want to lose me like she did my dad."

Shiro reached out and placed his hand on Keith's shoulder. "A-and the others...they came to see me. Lance, and Pidge, and Hunk and Allura. They...they told me to wake up. Everyone asks me to wake up. But...but what if I can't?"

Shiro turned Keith so that they were facing each other. Keith didn't want to look at him. But Shiro put his hand under Keith's chin, and and Keith had to look at him. Shiro looked afraid, and perhaps even angry. "What do you mean?"

"Maybe I'm not supposed to wake up," Keith whispered. 

Shiro's hand fell. "How could you say that?" he whispered. 

"I don't know, Shiro," Keith said, frustrated. "I don't understand. You don't understand. You don't know what its like here. I feel like....I feel like it's eating at me. I dont know what I believe anymore."

"Keith," Shiro said, taking Keith's hands in his. "If theres anything you need to believe, it's that you need to wake up. Don't you hear the words that they're saying to you? They love you, Keith. So many people love you. _I_ love you."

"I was at the cloning facility today."

Shiro's hands fell. His eyes widened. "What?"

"I never wanted to go back there," Keith whispered. "I wanted to forget. I wanted to pretend it didn't happen. But...it did. So many things have happened, Shiro."

Shiro gaped at him. They had never really spoken about what had happened that day in the cloning facility. Keith hadn't wanted to bring it up. It was painful enough too think about. He couldn't imagine how it had made Shiro feel. It had seemed like the better thing was to just put it behind them, especially when they had a war to focus on. 

"Keith," Shiro whispered. "The...those things I said and did- that they-" Shiro's eyes welled up with tears. "I didnt- I never wanted to hurt you-"

"I know," Keith said, trying to smile. "I know, Shiro. I believe it with my entire heart. I know that you would never hurt me. That's why...that's why I kept fighting. That's why I fought for you."

"Keith," Shiro said, reaching out to him, but Keith turned and walked back to the pilot's chair. 

"I don't think you should come here anymore Shiro," Keith told him, his heart breaking. "I don't think it's good for you to be here."

"I want to be with you," Shiro told him, and he sounded so hurt, it was like a knife in Keith's chest. The truth was, he wanted Shiro there as well. He wanted Shiro's comfort. But he was afraid what coming here would do to Shiro. Keith knew what it was already doing to him. 

"Not like this," Keith told him. He looked at Shiro, Shiro's eyes streaming. "I keep reliving old memories. It's not even that...it's like the ghost of a memory. And then I hear the voices, telling me to wake up. But I don't know if I will, Shiro. And maybe I'm not supposed to."

"Don't say that!" Shiro cried. "Don't tell me that you aren't supposed to make it through this. Don't tell me that I'm supposed to live in a world that you don't exist in. You can't ask me to do that, Keith!"

Shiro was there, in front of him, pulling him up into his arms, his lips on Keith's, and he kissed him in a way that stole Keith's breath away. Keith didn't fight him. He couldn't fight him. His body craved Shiro's touch, his comfort. He wrapped his arms around Shiro, and he knew that he shouldn't. He should walk away and disappear, and it would make everything easier for the both of them. 

But he couldn't. 

Their kiss broke, and Shiro rested his forehead against Keith's. "I'll find a way to get you back," Shiro whispered. "I'll keep coming here as many times as it takes. I won't let you stay here alone. I won't let you give up."

"Shiro," Keith whispered, and just like that, Shiro was gone. Keith crumpled to the floor without the support of Shiro's arms, feeling even more alone and confused than he had before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up in the next chapter: Shiro realizes his dreams are more than just a dream 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Every night, I dream you're still here._  
>  The ghost by my side, so perfectly clear.  
> When I awake, you'll disappear,  
> Back to the shadows  
> With all I hold dear 
> 
>  
> 
> Still Here, by Digital Daggers

"Shiro."

Shiro awoke with a start, his face sticking to the paper he'd been using as a pillow. He blinked, the feeling of Keith in his arms still lingering. Sam Holt stood in front of his desk, looking down at him rather sadly.

"Sorry," Sam said apologetically. "I figured that you'd rather sleep in a bed then at a desk."

Shiro tried to get his brain to process what Sam was saying. He was having trouble shaking the dream- was it really a dream?- away. "Wh-what time is it?"

"Just after seven in the evening," Sam said. "I just got back from checking in on Keith, and Krolia wondered where you have been."

"Wh-why? Is he okay?" Shiro stammered, jumping to his feet.

"Yes, yes - well, he's the same," Sam said hastily. "I think she just thought it strange that you hadn't been by his room since this morning. I guess now we know why. What are you working on?"

"Umm..." Shiro looked down at the papers he'd been drooling on. "Some sort of intergalactic peace treaty with the nations we'll be working with. I was just...reading it over."

Sam offered him a half smile. "You've been working very hard, Shiro," he said kindly. "I think it would be wise for you to take a few days off. Catch up on your rest. Visit with Keith. None of this stuff is going to happen overnight, anyway."

Shiro sighed, rubbing his face. His stomach growled; he couldn't remember if he'd eaten today. He could only think of Keith, telling Shiro that maybe he wasn't meant to wake up.

"Shiro." Sam grabbed a nearby chair and sat down. "A lot has happened, from the moment we left for Kerebros until now. Sometimes I wonder how any of us are still standing at all. I know you feel a sense of....responsibility, both to us here at the Garrison, as well as to your team members with Voltron and the friends you have made throughout the universe. But you are also responsible for your own self and well being. I know this week has been hard on you, especially with Keith...." Sam sighed. "I spoke with his medical staff just now. They are worried, Shiro."

Shiro's heart beat so loud he was sure Sam could hear it. "W-what- why? I thought you said he was okay?"

"Yes," Sam said carefully. "He's still the same. That's why they are worried, Shiro. He has machines helping him breathe right now. There still hasn't been any sort of response from him." Sam sighed heavily. "I want him to wake up, Shiro. Just like everyone here does. I know how far he's come and how much he's done for all of us. I know my children care for him, and I know what he means to you. But...I think you should take the time to be with him, now. Instead of working. Leave the work to others. I'm here to help."

Shiro's heart fell into his stomach as he realized what Sam was trying to say to him. That Shiro should be spending time with Keith, because Keith may not be with them much longer.

Keith could be dying.

"I have to go, Sam," Shiro said, feeling like he might be sick. He stepped around Sam, and Sam tried to hold him back, but Shiro shoved him off. He couldn't sit there and listen to Sam tell him to say goodbye to Keith, or to try and prepare for Keith's death. Shiro wouldn't do it. Because Keith was still in there. Shiro knew it. He'd talked to him, after all.

_It was just a dream, Shiro_.

But Shiro wasn't so sure he believed that.

Stranger things had happened.

Shiro wasn't paying no attention to where he was walking, and ran straight into Allura. 

"Allura!" he gasped. "I-I'm so sorry-"

"It's alright, Shiro," she said with a small smile. "I'm fine."

"What- why are you out of bed?" he asked, frowning. 

She chuckled. "I'm allowed to get up out of bed, you know. We were discharged this afternoon, on the orders that we all take an easy. I'm actually quite tired of just laying around. I felt like I should be doing something. So I decided to take a walk, clear my head a bit."

"Oh." He felt guilty for not being around more. He hadn't even known his friends had been discharged. "I'm glad you're feeling better. I'm sorry I wasn't around much, I-"

"Shiro, you don't need to apologize," she said with a sad smile. "I know you've been busy. And besides, Keith needs you more than we do right now."

_Keith_. "Allura...can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course," she said. "Have you eaten anything yet?"

He shook his head, and his stomach growled at the same time. "All right," she said. "Let's go."

A few minutes later they sat alone at a table, sandwiches in hand. "This food is not my favorite," she admitted, looking at it sadly. "I hope to have much better Earth food soon."

He smiled. "You will." His smiled fell. He felt nervous to tell Allura what he had experienced. But Allura also knew about magic, and had lived in a world much more different than Shiro had. 

"What I'm going to tell you might sound crazy," he started, "but please hear me out."

"Okay," she said uncertainly. "What is this about?"

He sighed. "Did you go to visit Keith today? And ask him to wake up?"

She looked confused. "Yes, we all did. Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all," he replied. He felt anxious. He needed to just say it. "It's just....Last night, I had a dream. About Keith."

"What sort of dream?" she asked. 

"That's the thing." He closed his eyes, picturing Keith's face as plain as day, feeling Keith in his arms. "It was the most realistic dream I ever had. We were standing outside the Garrison. He wondered why I was there. He seemed to know about what had happened, with that beast. He asked me what had happened to you all, and he told me he wasn't sure how to get back to us. He could hear...people talking to him." 

Allura just looked at him, looking perplexed. "And then I had another dream today. But this time, we were in the Black Lion. And he told me that you and the others went to visit him today, and asked him to wake up. He told me things his mother had said to him. And in these...dreams, I can touch him. I can feel him. I can-"

Shiro's voice cut off. He realized he was crying. He wiped his face quickly. "I don't know if I'm explaining this right, but....I don't think these are just normal dreams. I think they are...real, in a way. Have you...have you ever heard of anything like this happening? Sort of like when he and I ended up on the astral plane together?"

Allura was very quiet as she thought about it, poking at her sandwich. "Did he say anything else, in these dreams?"

Shiro thought about it. "He said...that things keep changing. And time moves differently for him. I...I feel like it's...wearing him down. It's like he's traveling between places, but...I don't really know."

Allura looked troubled. "I haven't heard of anything exactly like this before," she said at last. "But I don't think that it is impossible. I suppose that even though Keith's body is here, it is possible that his spirit, or consciousness, is elsewhere. Perhaps he is stuck on some sort of astral plane, and that's why he hasn't woken up."

"Okay." It didn't sound good, but at least it was something. "Then how am I reaching him? How do I help him? He's...he's very scared."

Allura looked sad. "I'm afraid I don't know. The only thing I can think is that, because of the bond the two of you have, that he is able to reach you, or you him. You two have proven to be able to do it before, when...when you were stuck on the astral plane. This situation seems so very different, but perhaps it's because his body is still alive. It's sounds almost as if he's made his _own_ astral plane. It's...incredible, honestly. But it also sounds...." Her voice trailed off. 

"But...how do I help him?" he asked her desperately. "I feel like...like he's starting to give up."

"I...I don't know," she said, frowning. "If he really has created this plane of his...I don't know if anyone can help him, aside from himself. There must be a reason why he's there. Perhaps...perhaps there is something holding him back." She sighed. "You said he can hear us, when we speak to him?"

Shiro nodded. "Maybe not all the time, but sometimes."

"Hmm." She rubbed her temples. "I'm sorry Shiro, this is a lot. And I'm just speculating, here."

"But you think it's possible? That what I'm seeing is real?"

She smiled at him, but her smiled was sad. "I do," she said. "If anyone would be able to jump through the fabric of reality to reach one another, it would be you two. The two of you share a bond much deeper than any of us have. You love each other so fiercely. And you both have been through so much pain in your lives. You two are connected."

She reached out and squeezed his hand. "He was able to bring you back," she told him. "It was a miracle in itself. Perhaps you can do the same for him."

Shiro nodded, his tears falling on the table. He stood up. "I want to see if I can test it, somehow," he said. "I'm going to go check on him right now. And then I will try to sleep. I will try to ask him as many questions I can. And...and maybe have someone go in and say something to him? Something I wouldn't know." He wasn't sure if he was making sense, but he had to know for sure if this was in his head or not. 

"Alright," Allura said uncertainly. "I'll see what I can do. I'm honestly quite curious myself. But...it is also quite scary to me, to be honest. Be careful, Shiro. We don't know what this means, if it means anything."

He nodded. At least they had a plan. At least he was doing something to figure this out. 

Shiro stopped by Keith's room first. Krolia looked around and smiled at him tiredly. "Hello, Shiro."

"Hey," he said, stepping in the room. He hated to see Keith looking so...sick. So hurt. It didn't get any easier to see him like that. "I'm sorry I wasn't around much today."

"It's all right," she said. "I know you have a lot going on. Plus, I could tell you haven't slept much."

He stopped at the foot of Keith's bed. "I'm actually going to try and get some sleep now," he said. "Do you need anything at all?"

Krolia smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine," she said. "But thank you."

He nodded. His eyes fell back to Keith. _Just hold on, Keith_ , he thought, watching his chest rise and fall. _I'm going to help you figure this out_. 

* * *

 

Shiro lay down in his bed. Despite his exhaustion, his mind was racing. Sleep wasn't going to come easily. 

He tried to imagine where Keith was now. What he was feeling. Shiro was worried. He knew Keith had told him he shouldn't come back, but Shiro needed to. He needed to do everything in his power to help Keith find his way home. 

How long would Keith be able to last, in his reality? 

What if the whole thing was a fluke, and Shiro really was just dreaming?

What if Keith didn't make it back before his body gave out on him?

What if Keith really did die?

No. Shiro refused to think about it. He rolled over, willing himself to sleep. Keith would have to live. Because a life without Keith wasn't a life worth living. 

Eventually, sleep pulled him under. 

They were outside the Detention Center Keith was once housed in when he was younger. Keith stood there, his back to Shiro, staring at his feet. 

"I told you not to come back," Keith said, without moving. 

Shiro breathed deeply, relieved that he had made it there. "Keith," he said carefully. "I need you to tell me exactly what's been happening to you."

Keith turned and looked at him. He somehow looked worse from the last time Shiro had seen him, only a couple hours ago. He looked paler, and more tired. 

"I don't know what's happening," Keith said, his voice sounding hollow. "I woke up after the battle, at my childhood home. I thought I was dead, and my father was there to greet me. But he wasn't. And then things changed. I was at the Castle of Lions. I could...hear people talking to me. But things never stay the same for too long. It's like...I pass out, and I'm somewhere else."

"Places you've been?" Shiro asked, and Keith nodded. 

"All the places I've been," Keith sighed. "All the places that haunt me." He looked up at the Detention building. "Like a constant reminder of all the things that have gone wrong."

Shiro was nervous. He didnt like this mentality that Keith had. "Did...did anyone come to talk to you, since I last saw you?"

Keith shrugged. "Allura was talking. And Lance. Lance...." Keith gulped. "He said he was sorry for not being a better friend to me. He said he wanted to do better, this time. But I...I had to wake up."

Shiro stepped forward. This was good. "He's right. And I want to help you, Keith."

Keith's eyes shined. "I don't deserve help."

Shiro hesitated to get any closer, afraid that Keith might run. "Why do you think that?"

"That's why I'm here, isn't it?" Keith asked him, the tears falling down his face. "I'm being punished."

"No," Shiro said, frowning. "I don't believe that. You don't deserve punishment."

"I must," Keith whispered. "When I first got here, I wanted to find my way out. I wanted to go back. But the longer I'm here, the more I feel...." He didn't finish the sentence.

"Keith." Shiro spoke in as clear, yet stern voice as he could muster. "You need to fight it."

Keith looked at him, his eyes lost. "I don't know if I can."

"You have to." Shiro grabbed his shoulders. "I will fight for you until my last breath. But I need you to fight along side me. After everything we've been through...we can figure this out too. I'm not going to lose you, Keith. Not now."

"I...." Keith breathed deeply. "I think I almost made it out, before."

Shiro gripped his shoulders tightly. "How?"

"I...." Keith was shaking. "I was in my room at the Garrison. I could hear the paladins talking to me. They were so close. I could feel it. I just...if I had just opened the door....and found them...."

"Why didn't you?" Shiro asked him.

Keith bit his lip. "I don't know. I just....I hesitated. I couldn't do it. I...I was afraid."

"Of what?" Shiro pushed, and he felt like he  was pushing too much, but he needed to know.

Keith shook his head. "I don't know. Everything. I...I'm afraid...of what is next. Everything...it's always been bad, Shiro. Every time something good happens...." He looked away. "Everyone leaves, or dies, or disappears."

"I won't disappear," Shiro said, but even as he said the words, he knew they couldn't be trusted. He'd already disappeared on Keith more than once.

"Maybe this time, it's my turn to disappear," Keith whispered, and Shiro's heart was being torn in half, slowly, painfully.

"No," he said, but Keith just smiled sadly. "Keith, no. Please."

"I'm sorry, Shiro," Keith said, his eyelids fluttering. "I think that's how it's supposed to be."

"Keith!" Shiro cried, but he knew his time was up. The dream melted away, and he was left gasping, crying, on his bed, fear seizing him and not letting go.

Shiro ran all the way to Keith's room, gasping. Allura and Krolia were there, looking alarmed at his sudden appearance. Allura stood up. "Did you see him?"

"What? Who?" Krolia asked.

"Yes," Shiro gasped, trying to catch his breath. "He said...that Lance told him he was sorry for not being a better friend, and that he wanted to do better, but Keith needed to wake up."

Allura just gazed at him in amazement. "How- did you know that?" Krolia asked, but Shiro wasn't sure if he could explain it to her.

"We are running out of time," he told Allura, and saying the words out loud frightened him even more than he already was. "He doesn't-"

Just then, the heart monitor's steady beating turned erratic, and Shiro felt as if the world was crashing around them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I posted early today, I hope you guys don’t mind! I’m just going to be busy ^^ <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ACCIDENTLY POSTED BEFORE I HAD EVEN EDITED WOOPS. 
> 
> I went back and read it quickly but I hope I caught everything xD

Shiro waited for the other paladins to arrive, the steady beat of Keith's heart monitor the only thing keeping him calm. Luckily, the medical staff had been able to react quickly when Keith had started crashing, and were able to get him stabilized again. For now. But they weren't sure how much more time he had. His body could start to give out on him again any moment. Shiro felt extremely on edge, as did Krolia and Allura, who were both sitting with him silently as they watched Keith's chest slowly rise and fall. Coran had happened to stop by looking for Allura when the medical staff was still working on stabilizing Keith, and Shiro had asked him to find the rest of the Paladins and get them there as soon as possible. 

Finally, Coran returned, with Pidge, Hunk, Lance, and Romelle behind him, all of them looking afraid. 

"What happened?" Hunk asked, his voice small. 

They all looked to Shiro. He was always the one with all the answers, the one they all relied on. 

Shiro felt anything but strong at the moment. He felt fragile, like if someone were to touch him, he'd shatter into a tiny thousand pieces. But now wasn't the time to fall apart. Keith was still in there. Keith was still alive. But he was barely hanging on. This might be Shiro's last chance to save him. 

It was terrifying. 

But it also gave Shiro the strength he needed. He was Keith's last chance. He could not fail him. 

"Keith's in trouble," he told them, their faces staring at him, fearful and confused. "He may not have...much time left. But I might have a way to save him. It's going to sound crazy, though."

"What is it?" Lance asked at once, looking determined through his fear. 

"How can we help?" asked Pidge. 

Shiro wasn't sure how to properly explain things to them. He wasn't even sure if he really understood it all himself. "I can...I can talk to him. See him. On some sort of astral plane that he created. But only when I'm asleep."

They all stared at him like he was crazy. "Wait, what?" Lance asked, looking from Shiro to the others to see if he was the only one confused. 

"The past two days, I've been able to visit Keith when I fall asleep. I get...pulled onto some sort of...fabricated reality. Keith...he's been stuck there. But he's been able to hear us talking to him. At first I believed I was just dreaming. But...the dreams felt so real, I started to wonder. I talked to Allura earlier today, and we tested it. Lance, when you came to visit earlier, Keith could hear you talking. He told me what you said to him, and Allura confirmed it." 

They still looked lost, and Shiro didn't blame them. He knew how crazy it sounded. But he needed them to believe him. And he didn't have much time. He looked to Allura for help. 

"It's true," she said, sitting up straighter. "It's a very...unique kind of magic that has happened here. A magic that I'd definitely like to learn more about. But we don't have much time, now."

"The...reality that Keith is stuck in...it's...." Shiro sighed heavily. "It's almost like it's torturing him. He's about to give up. But I can't let that happen. So...I need your help. This may be the last chance we have to save him."

Everyone was very quiet for a few moments as they tried to understand what was going on. "I'm still confused," Hunk said at last. "But I don't care, if it means saving Keith. Just tell us what you need us to do."

"I'm with Hunk," Lance said, trying to look confident. 

"Me too," Pidge added, "though I still have a lot of questions."

"I promise we'll...try to figure this out," Shiro said. 

"So what's the plan?" Krolia asked. She'd been very quiet this entire time, her face impassive. But Shiro could feel her determination. She didn't care how crazy of a plan Shiro had. She just wanted her son back. 

They all looked at Shiro with such fierce determination, he couldn't help but feel his throat tighten with emotion. "I...I need to sleep. As deeply as I can. I need to make sure that I have enough time to get to him, and talk to him."

"So...sleeping pills?" Pidge guessed. 

Shiro nodded. She stood up. "Leave it to me," she said, and marched out of the room. 

"Are you sure this is safe, for you?" Hunk asked worriedly. 

Shiro smiled, appreciative of his worry. "Honestly, I think my body would be grateful for some rest. And...even if it is dangerous, I don't care. That's never stopped Keith from doing everything in his power to save me."

No one seemed to be able to argue that. "Fine," Lance said uncertainly. "But what can we do?"

Shiro looked at each of them as he spoke, looking from face to face. "Keith can hear you, where he is. And I need him to hear you. I need you to tell him how much he means to you. You can say it however you want. But he's giving up, guys. I...I saw him...." A tear fell down his face. "I need you to remind him of why he needs to fight."

Lance stood up. "We can do that."

"I'll help!" Romelle said, standing as well. 

"What...what if that's not enough?" Hunk asked quietly. 

Shiro's stomach turned. "It will be. It has to be."

The air was so thick with tension, Shiro had to remind himself to keep it together. "We can do this, guys. Keith is counting on us."

They nodded. No matter what Shiro said to try and calm them, there was no getting around the fact that Keith's life was hanging on by a thread. If they failed, it could- and probably would- mean more than just a regular loss. It would be the loss of Keith. 

"I'm going to bring him back," Shiro told them, sounding as brave and as sure as he could. "I won't leave there without him."

"If...if anyone can save him, it's you," Krolia said with a small smile, placing her hand on Shiro's arm, her other hand holding Keith's. 

"You guys have been through crazy stuff together before," Lance said in agreement. 

It was true. They were right. Keith had been able to save Shiro time and time again. Even when it seemed impossible. Even when Shiro had been actively trying to kill him, Keith had never given up. He'd never stopped fighting for Shiro. 

And Shiro could never stop fighting for him. 

"I'm back!" Pidge huffed, running back into the room with a bottle in her hands. "I found some temazepam. Don't ask where. This should knock you out for a full night, and it kicks in pretty quickly."

"Thanks," Shiro said, feeling slightly guilty for having hear steal pills for him. But he couldn't worry about that right now. He had to focus on Keith. "All right, guys. This is it. Once I'm asleep, I'll need your help in making sure no one tries to wake me up. And...and say whatever you need to say, to Keith."

They nodded, and Krolia, to Shiro's surprise, wrapped him tightly in her arms. 

"Please, Shiro," she whispered. "He loves you, more than anyone. I know you can bring him back."

Shiro hugged her back, his heart heavy. Krolia released him, and then the others were on him, all hugging him, his team, his family. 

"You can do it, Shiro," Allura told him. 

"We'll be here, helping," Hunk said through his tears. 

"We won't let you down," Pidge added. 

Shiro couldn't help but to let his tears escape as he hugged them all, thankful that they were here, letting him know that he wasn't alone. A reminder of all those who loved Keith and needed him. 

"All right," Shiro said at last, and they let go. "I don't want to go too far."

"The room next door is empty," Coran said, patting his eyes with a tissue. 

"That'll work." He looked at them all one last time, and lastly at Keith. He took Keith's hand in his. "I'm coming. I'll save you."

Of course, there was no response. Just the steady beat of the heart monitor. 

Shiro couldn't waste any more time. "Will one of you come with me? Just to make sure no one bothers me? You can even take turns, if that's easier."

"I'll take first turn," Lance offered, standing next to Shiro. Shiro nodded. This was it. 

Shiro didnt want to leave the room. It felt so final, to turn his back on Keith and walk out. But he had to remember that he could do this. He could save them. Failure was not an option. They next time he went into Keith's room, things would be better. Keith would open his eyes, and Shiro would never let him go again. 

Shiro and Lance silently made their way into the room next door, Shiro popping the pills into his mouth. He hoped this was enough, He wasn't sure how much time it would take to get through to Keith. Shiro climbed into the bed, and Lance sat in a chair, looking nervous. Shiro closed his eyes, willing his body and mind to relax. He took deep breaths. He thought of Keith, and the sound of his laugh. When was the last time they had laughed, honestly? Their lives had been about surviving and fighting for so long. Too long. Keith wasn't entirely wrong in thinking that bad things were always happening. A lot of bad things had happened. But things could be different now. The galra were vastly diminished. They had more allies than ever. They wouldn't have to fight just to live anymore. They could actually be free, and happy. 

* * *

 

Keith lay on the ground, staring at the sky. It was dark, ominous. He was back in the cloning facility. It was broken, damaged, much like it had been when Keith and Shiro had fought each other there. But it was quiet. So, so quiet. All Keith could hear was the sound of his own breathing, and the buzz of his thoughts. He wasn't sure why he was still there. Still alive. He had been so sure that it was finally over. He had felt everything slipping away from him. But then he had woken up here. And so he laid down on his back and stared at the sky. It was too hard to move anymore. What was the point? Why would he want to walk around this cold, painful world? He wasn't going back now. He'd already lost his chance. He'd given it up when he didn't open the door, back in his room at the Garrison. He was so, so stupid. Why hadn't he done it? Why was he always messing up? 

Some leader he was. He had abandoned his team. He'd abandoned his mother. He'd abandoned Shiro.

Keith stared up at the dark sky. At least he had done what he needed to do. They'd stopped Sendak. They'd stopped the robeast. Shiro was back, and better than ever. His team mates would be back with their families. That was enough, wasn't it? He could die knowing that at least they would be okay. They didnt really need him, anymore. And maybe when he really did die, his father would be there to welcome him. Or maybe it would just be sweet oblivion. Even that sounded nice right now. Anything was better than this cold, dark, empty world.

Keith sat up, taking in the broken world around him. He wished this wouldn't have to be his last memory, sitting alone in that horrible place. He stood up, his legs shaky. Wasn't your life supposed to flash before your eyes in moments like these? Perhaps that is what this whole world had been. Keith didn't even really care anymore. He was too tired. His head pounded. But it was okay. It would be over soon. He wouldn't have to feel it anymore.

He stopped at the end of the walkway, looking down. He remembered this spot. This was where he had desperately clung to Shiro,trying to pull them up to safety. He had once thought he was about to die in this spot. How fitting that this is where he had returned. He had been willing to fall to his death with Shiro rather than leave that world without him. 

Shiro. 

Keith choked on a sob. 

He had failed Shiro, this time. 

Would Shiro be angry?

He hoped he wouldn't be sad for too long. 

Shiro was too good, too loving, to be sad. He deserved to be happy, and carefree, and loved. 

"Keith?"

He could even hear Shiro's voice. And least that was nice. Shrio's voice could be the last thing he heard. 

"Keith!"

He just needed to take another step. That was all. 

Keith lifted his foot, thinking of Shiro, and the paladins, and his mother, and his father.

Arms were around him, pulling his away. He knew who it was, even without the prosthetic giving it away. It was also Shiro.

"Keith." Shiro was sobbing, hugging him. They fell to the ground, Shiro hugging him tightly from behind. Shiro was there. Keith was so tired. He couldn't even move. But Shiro's arms felt nice. 

"Keith, please. You can't let go, not yet."

"Why?" Keith asked, his voice sounding strangely far away.

"Because you have too much to live for."

Keith leaned back into Shiro's arms, looking up at Shiro's face. Shiro's tears were falling, his eyes full of pain. Keith didnt like it.

"Let me save you," Shiro whispered, pushing Keith's hair back gently. "Let me show you the way home. Don't fight me, anymore, Keith." He smiled through his tears. "Do you remember what I said to you, when you were sitting outside the principals office after you got into that fight, back at the Garrison?"

Keith's eyes widened. He did remember. He could never forget.

"I will never give up on you," Shiro whispered. "But more importantly, you can't give up on yourself."

Keith stared at Shiro, his heart fluttering. He felt the tears come, and he couldn't stop them. He clung to Shiro, and Shiro held him. Suddenly, the world was sliding out from under them. Keith and Shiro held on to one another tightly, as colors and shapes swirled around them in a dizzying kaleidoscope. Keith closed his eyes, wishing for it to be over. He felt the ground return beneath them, and he kept his eyes closed tight, Shiro's arms still around him. 

"Keith."

Keith took a shaky breath and opened his eyes. He was back at his childhood home. Shiro had travelled with him, this time. Shiro stood up, helping Keith to his feet. He was back where he started, when he first entered this crazy world. Shiro took Keith's hand in his, and smiled down at him. A voice spoke to them, loud, and clear, and loving. 

"Hey, Keith."

It was his mother. 


	6. Chapter 6

Keith stepped towards the house, pulling Shiro along with him. It felt as if they were moving in slow motion. Keith was aware of every little thing. The beat of his own heart. The tears drying on his face. The feel of Shiro's hand in his, the way it fit perfectly. He walked up the steps, Shiro right next to him, and his mother began to speak again. 

"I remember when you were a baby," Krolia said, her voice soft. "I was both terrified, and completely in love. I had never really thought about children, you know. My life had always been focused on the Blades and my missions. When I met your father...and I fell in love with him...I was a different person. He made me a different person. I was able to open my heart in a way I never had been able to before. And then, when you were born...and you were so perfect...I didn't know it was possible to be so in love, to care for someone so much. It was scary, and wonderful."

She paused. Keith walked into the kitchen, and could almost picture his mom and dad standing right in front of him, making dinner together and laughing. It both made him ridiculously happy and sad at the same time. How different his childhood would have been, if his mother had never left, and his father hadn't died. 

"I was so afraid, of something happening to the two of you," Krolia whispered. "You both meant so much to me. I believed it was better for me to leave, knowing you'd be safe. I really thought it was the right thing to do. And maybe it was, at the time. But...I should have come back. I should have...tried harder. But I was so afraid. Sometimes I don't even know what I was afraid of. Maybe I was afraid that you wouldn't want me, or need me anymore. But you did need me, Keith. You weren't safe like I thought you were. Maybe you were safe from the Galra, but I didn't save you from the pain you went through. And I'm so sorry. I know it's not enough, but...I'm sorry."

Keith's feet were moving again, and his tears blurred his vision. Shiro followed him silently, never speaking, but there all the same. Keith found himself looking into his father's bedroom. The bed was made. Made, but never returned to. 

"I'm so thankful that we've had this chance to reconnect," Krolia continued, her voice thick with tears. "Before I found you again, it was like...I had returned to the person I was before I met your father. I had closed off my heart. I know you know what that's like. But you...you helped me open it up again. You reminded me of what it meant to love someone. To love someone so much, you would do anything to protect them."

She was crying just quietly enough for Keith to hear her. He wanted nothing more than to reach out to her and comfort her, to let her know that it was okay. 

"That's why you can't give up," she whispered. "You're...you're everything to me. You're all that I have left. It's my job to protect you, and I don't know how to do that right now. But I want to. I just want you to wake up. I want to see those eyes again. and I want to tell you how proud I am of you. You've grown into such a...kind, brave, loving person. You would do anything to protect the people you love. You might be a little stubborn," she added with a watery chuckle, "but what can I say, so am I. And I'm so proud to be your mother, Keith."

Silence fell upon them. Shiro pulled Keith into his arms again, and Keith let him. He couldn't describe the way his mother's words made him feel. He felt afraid, and guilty, and happy, and sad, and loved. His father had been wonderful. His mother was wonderful. He may not have had the childhood he wanted, but he knew in his heart that his parents loved him.

"You miss your father," Shiro said, speaking at last, his hand on the back of Keith's head as Keith leaned on him. 

"Yes," Keith whispered. 

"Do you think that's why you came back here?" Shiro asked him. 

"Maybe," Keith replied. "Maybe because...I was happy here. Mostly when I think about this house, I just think about my father, and his death, and everything that happened afterwards. But...but good things happened here too. This is where I grew up. This is where my father would make my birthday cakes, and where I learned how to ride my bike. And this is where my parents were happy, even if it wasn't for long enough."

Shiro kissed the top of his head. "Your father would be very proud of you," he told him. "And you know that your mother is."

Keith looked up at Shiro. Shiro smiled at him, and it made warmth spread throughout Keith's body, as if Shiro's smile alone reminded his heart to keep beating. 

"After my father died...." His voice faded, and he gripped Shiro's arm tightly. "A-after my father died...I wasn't the same. I started to hate everything. I hated my father for dying, I hated my mother for not being there. I hate this house and its memories. I hated myself." He looked down, laying his head on Shiro's shoulder. "The hate erased all the good. But...but there had been good. I just forgot how to see it."

Suddenly they were moving again, his house becoming a blur of color. Shiro wrapped him in his arms tightly, and the next thing they knew, they were in the Castle of Lions. 

"Wow," Shiro said softly, touching the walls as if to test if they were real. "It's...a bit creepy, being back here like this."

They walked along the halls together. Keith realized that he felt a bit clearer. A bit less breakable. Almost as if he was waiting, wanting to find what these silent halls and rooms held for him. They ended up in the lounge, and Keith sat down against the cushions, missing the times that he and the other Paladins had hung out there together. Shiro sat down beside him, still staring around, mystified. 

"Hello, Keith," came Allura's voice, almost as he they could turn around and see her walking towards them, telling them to get ready for their next mission. "Coran and Romelle are here with me."

"Hello!" Romelle said. 

"Ah- greetings," Coran said uncertainly. 

"I don't know if Shiro was able to find you or not," Allura continued. "But I hope that he has. I hope that you are still there, and still fighting. I know that I've been asking you to fight for so long now, Keith. I know you never exactly signed up tp risk your life for the entire universe, but...here we are, I suppose." She sighed. "I know I haven't always been the best friend, or advisor to you. When we first met, I was so...taken by my revenge. It was...it was hard for me, to wake up and realize that everything was gone. My home. My family. It had been gone for thousands of years, destroyed by the Galra. I was so hurt, and so angry. I never stopped to really think about all of you.

"But then...somewhere along the way, things changed. I don't think I ever really stopped to realize it, but you all became so important to me. You stuck with me, defended me, even when I couldn't offer you anything in return. You became the family I had lost. You gave me a place among you, some...ten thousand year old alien princess. You accepted me, even when I had a hard time accepting you."

"We woke up with nothing," Coran said. "And you gave us everything. You and the other Paladins gave us a reason to keep moving, to keep fighting. You gave us our hope back."

"We're so close," Allura whispered. "We're so close to finally being free. And I know I'm asking a lot of you. And I've already asked too much. But I need you to fight this. I need you to come back, Keith. Because...you all are my family. And even after we rid the universe of all our enemies, I'm still going to need you, with or without Voltron being needed. Because you are more than just a Paladin to me."

"To all of us," Coran added. 

"You saved me," Romelle added in. "You, and Krolia, and Kosmo, you saved me, too. You gave me my hope back. You helped me find where I belong. I've been stuck for so long, unable to do anything to fight back. I actually feel alive, now. And Allura's right. Our world, our families are gone, but...we were able to find family in all of you. So thank you, Keith. And please...don't give up just yet. Earth needs people like you on it's side."

Keith looked around the Castle of Lions, Allura and Coran's last tie to their home. It was gone now. They had lost everything. But yet they were still fighting. They were still able to keep moving. 

And they still wanted Keith around, even if the universe never needed Voltron again. 

"We went through a lot here," Keith said, his voice breaking slightly. "But I'll never regret joining Voltron. If I hadn't found Voltron, and found you, and all the others, I don't know where I would be right now."

"Keith," Shiro said softly, but before he could say anything else, they were moving again, Keith just barely being able to grab ahold of Shiro's hand. He wasn't sure what would happen if he lost Shiro somewhere in here. He wasn't sure that he'd be able to make his way back to him. 

When the world stopped moving, they stood in Keith's bedroom at the Garrison. 

Keith fell back on to his bed. "Shiro," he whispered, his heart racing. 

"What's wrong?" Shiro asked, frowning, as Keith stared at the door. 

"N-nothing," Keith answered, his hands shaking. "It's just-"

"Hey, Mullet. I mean, Keith."

Lance. They were so, _so close_ , just like the last time Keith had been in this room. 

"Um...Hunk and Pidge are here with me."

"Hey, Keith."

"Do you really think he can hear us?"

"Shiro said he could. Just go with it, Pidge. We're supposed to not dawdle, remember."

Keith smiled. 

"Anyway, Shiro told us....I mean.....Ugh. I don't know what to say. Hunk, you go first."

"Me? Ohh...okay. Hey, Keith.  It's Hunk. Um...so I heard that you're having a hard time, wherever you are. I can imagine, if you're alone. That must be scary. I...I've never really been alone. I've always had my family around me. When I came to the Garrison, I was really excited. But I was also really afraid. What if I didn't make any friends? What if no one liked me? I just...I wanted to be a part of something, you know? Something of my own. 

"And then...well, Voltron happened. And I was able to make the best friends I ever had. And I was able to be a part of something so incredibly awesome. I mean, it was scary sometimes. Okay, a lot of times. But I made it through, because I had you guys with me. You've always been there for me, Keith. And I really appreciate it. So don't give up on yourself. Because we haven't given up on you. And I know you would never give up on us."

Keith wasn't sure if he'd ever heard so many kind things about himself in his life, and it was overwhelming. He knew how much his team, his friends- his _family_ had meant to him, but he had never stopped to think of what he might mean to them, or if he'd even meant anything to them at all. He'd been so used to no one caring for him for such a long time. 

"H-hey, Keith. It's Pidge. This is a bit strange for me, so...sorry. But...I mean, I've heard of people in comatose states being able to hear things that are happening and whatnot, but I never really thought it was possible. Though we also live in a world of magic and aliens, so. Anyway...." She sighed. "You can prepare for so many things in life. You can study and work hard and train. But...you don't really get prepared for things like this. When my dad and Matt went missing...it consumed me. Maybe too much. All I could think about was finding them, and getting them back. I guess, it some ways, it was a good thing, because it gave me something to fight for. I held on to that hope that they were alive, and I would see them again. 

"I guess that's what you need now, right? That same kind of hope? Well....In case you didn't know, you have a ton of people here who have been waiting on you. All of us. Me, Hunk, Lance, Allura, Shiro-especially Shiro- Coran and Romelle, my dad and Matt...we...we all care about you. I know we don't really say it much, but it's the truth. You guys were there for me when I wasn't sure if my family was alive or dead. You always supported me and helped me, so....I don't know if I'm saying the right things or not. But...but please wake up. We all need you, Keith. We wouldn't be the same w-without you."

She sniffled. Pidge was always so cool and collected, but there she was, crying. For him.

"All right, I guess that just leaves me." Lance cleared his throat. "Look, Mullet. I know we haven't always gotten along. I'll admit back when I knew you at the Garrison, I didn't like you much. But you didn't like me much, either, so we're even on that. But...I don't know. So much has happened. So much has changed. We both have changed. You've always had my back. We make a pretty good team. And...believe it or not, you've made a pretty good leader. You always fight for what you believe in, and I respect that. You never give up on the people you love. So...so I guess that's what we're asking you. Don't give up on us, Keith. Because we still need you. I know everything is a mess and our lives have been nothing but fighting and battles. But even when the war is over....we'll still be a team. We'll always be a team. We're our own little family, you know? I say Vol, you say tron. I need someone to complete my team cheer for me. S-so...so wake up. Because...because if you don't....If...."

"We love you, buddy," Hunk howled, and they were all crying. And then, there was nothing. 

Silence.

Keith and Shiro waited, only the sounds of their breathing for company.  They looked at one another. Keith's mind was buzzing, spinning. It was all so much. He'd been running, crying, and fighting his own thoughts and feelings from the moment he'd stepped into this psychological prison. He was afraid of the hope in his heart. He was afraid to even admit that that was what he was feeling. But it was hope. Hope that he could escape and see his friends and family again. Hope that maybe he hadn't been deserving of this endless torture. 

"Keith," Shiro whispered, touching his face, tracing the scar across his cheek. "I'm sorry, for everything I've put you through."

"You haven't-" Keith started, but Shiro shook his head. 

"I know it wasn't my fault," Shiro said with a sad smile. "But that doesn't mean that it didn't have an affect on you. It doesn't mean that it didn't hurt you. So I'm sorry, Keith. For all the pain you feel in your heart. Because believe me when I say this, I would take it all away in an instant if I could. And I know that I can't. But I can promise you that I will try to make it better. Every day. I'll take a little of the weight off your shoulders. Because I love you, Keith. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone. And I can't go back there without you. I don't want to know what it's like to live without you by my side."

"Shiro," Keith whispered. 

"I'll save you as many times as it takes," Shiro told him, and then he was kissing him, running his fingers through Keith's hair, stealing his breath away. Keith felt lighter, as if all his fear and worry was being drained away. Shiro was always his anchor. Even when he messed up, even when he wasn't good enough, even when the world was falling apart, Shiro had a way of making him feel as if none of the bad mattered. As long as they were together, they could deal with everything else.

He could handle this.

Things would be okay.

He wasn't alone.

Maybe coming to this strange world hadn't been about reminding him off everything that he had lost.

Maybe it had been about reminding him of how far he had come.

Keith and Shiro broke apart. Keith looked up at Shiro, a small smile on his lips. 

"Let's go home," he whispered, and Shiro smiled, intertwining their fingers together. Keith turned towards the door, his heart racing. 

He reached out, took hold of the door knob, and opened the door. 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the end <3 Just a little wrap up to the story. 
> 
> Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter is pretty short, but I hope you enjoy <3

The first think that Keith was aware of was that he was choking. 

Or at least it felt like he was choking-something was stuck in his throat. Sounds were coming in and out, but he couldn't focus on them. He just needed to breathe. 

He sputtered and gagged as they pulled something out of his throat. They placed something over his face and he was able to breathe a little easier, though his throat hurt. He could feel someone holding his hand tightly. And...someone was crying? But he was too tired. 

The next time he woke up, things were quieter. He could hear the beat of a heart monitor. His throat still hurt. His whole body felt heavy. He just laid there for a minute, trying to get his thoughts to work. Where was he? Why did he feel this way? He tried to remember. 

Someone hand his hand again, rubbing it. He wanted to say something, to ask them what was happening, but he wasn't sure if he could. He tried to open his eyes. They felt as if they were glued shut. He moved his fingers. 

"Keith?"

He knew that voice. It was his mother's. He tried to answer her, but all that came out was some sort of tired groan. 

"Keith," she whispered, again, and he could feel her hand on his face. He tried to open his eyes again. It took every amount of effort he had in him, but he did it. Sort of. Everything was bright and fuzzy. "How do you turn the lights down?" his mother hissed, and there was some fumbling, and the lights dimmed a bit. He tried to look at her again. He blinked several times as she came into view. She was smiling, tears falling from her eyes. 

"Hey," she whispered. "Welcome back."

And suddenly, Keith remembered. 

The robeast. 

The explosion. 

Being stuck in some strange world of memories. 

Shiro. 

Was it all over? Had he really made it back?

"Mom?" Keith croaked, and his throat hurt, and his voice sounded awful. 

"Shhhh," she said, brushing his hair back. "You don't have to talk. Just rest. Everything is going to be okay now."

Resting sounded nice. He closed his eyes. 

* * *

 Shiro woke up to the sun coming up through the window. He sat up groggily, and was startled to see Allura sitting there next to him, a small smile on her face. 

"Sorry," she said apologetically. "Pidge said that you might wake up a little out of it, so I thought I would keep an eye on you."

He blinked, trying to will his brain to move. For a moment he completely forgot why he was in a hospital bed and not his own- and then he remembered Keith. _Keith_. 

"Is-is he-?" Shiro stammered, trying to shake the sleep off. "Did it work?"

Allura's smile grew. "I think so."

"What-is he awake?"

"Not currently," she said. "A couple hours ago, they removed the tube from this throat. It was quite frightening, actually. You'd been a bit restless in your sleep, and then he began choking...." Allura shuddered. "I thought...but then the doctor said it was a good thing. Because it meant he was breathing on his own and fighting the machine. He woke up about an hour after that, but only for a few moments. The doctors are saying it's a miracle."

Shiro tried to process her words. "So...so....it worked? He- he'll be okay?"

She nodded. "I suppose it did work. That, or it was a crazy coincidence." She chuckled. "But I don't believe in coincidences. He'll need to spend some time recovering, and the doctors still need to run some more tests. But he recognized Krolia when he saw her. So I think...I think he's going to be okay."

Shiro breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to be okay. He'd woken up. Their plan had worked. 

Shiro swung his legs out of bed and pulled Allura into a hug. He seemed to have startled her, but she relaxed and hugged him back. "Thank you for helping me," he whispered. 

"It was nothing, really," she said, patting his back. "I think we all need to remind each other every once and a while of how much we mean to one another."

Shiro pulled away. "I'm going to go see him."

"You should," she said, wiping her eyes. "We all stayed with him throughout the night, so I think that it's time for us to get our rest."

"Yes, please do," Shiro said, getting to his feet. He could still feel the effects of the drugs, but the were fading. He knew he probably looked a mess, but he didn't want to wait to see Keith any longer. He opened the door to Keith's room. It was full of people. Hunk, Lance and Pidge were all huddled on the floor together, asleep on one another's shoulders. Coran was leaning against the wall, nodding off. Romelle sat on one chair, awake but looking very tired. And Krolia sat with Keith's hand in hers, a small smile on her face. 

And there was Keith. He no longer had tubes down his throat, and it looked like he had a bit more color in his cheeks. He looked so much more alive than he had just hours ago. 

"Shiro!" Romelle said brightly when she saw him, causing the others to perk up. Coran straightened up. Lance and Pidge both started awake, and Lance elbowed Hunk until he woke up as well with a big "Ow." Krolia looked around at him and smiled at him with so much love. She stood up and walked right up to him, pulling him into his arms. 

"You saved him," she said, her voice shaking with her tears. "You brought him back."

"You did it, Shiro!" Lance said excitedly, and as soon as Krolia let him go, the Paladins were on him, hugging him tightly. 

"It wasn't just me," he said, his heart warm. "It was all of us. We all saved him together."

After a few more rounds of hugs, tears and smiles, the Paladins and Alteans left, until it was just Krolia and Shiro left. Shiro took over Romelle's seat, scooting the chair in close and kissing Keith's forehead softly. It almost felt surreal. The last couple days had been the longest, most exhausting days of Shiro's life. From the moment he pulled Keith out of the Black Lion, to finding Keith in his dreams. Shiro realized how terrified he had been. He realized how close he had come to losing Keith.

"You love him," Krolia said, watching him, her small smile still there.

Shiro looked up at her, wiping his eyes. "Yes," he said, his heart fluttering.

Krolia reached over and put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad. I couldn't ask for anyone better to love my son."

Her words meant so much to him. Shiro wasn't even sure how to tell her. But he could tell she knew. There was a knowing look in her eye. She stood up. "I'm going to go lay down for a little while. I'll be back. I trust he's in good hands with you."

"Of course," he said. "A-and thank you. For your help, and...for...everything."

"That's what mothers are for," she said softly, and with one last smile, she left the room, leaving Shiro and Keith alone.

The room was quiet, except for the familiar, comforting beat of the heart monitor. Shiro sat there silently, waiting. Patience yields focus. 

He still wasn’t sure of exactly how he’d been able to find Keith- or how Keith had gotten there. And Shiro wasn’t sure what it would mean for Keith. Would Keith remember? Would Shiro alone carry the memories of what they went through? Some parts of him hoped that Keith didn’t remember. Because whatever Keith had experienced in that strange world had been enough for him to lose his hope. At the same time, Shiro hoped he did remember. Because the words that had been spoken to Keith from the people that he loved had been the truth, and he wanted Keith to know how much he was loved, and needed. 

Their life had been anything but easy. On the contrary, the universe seemed keen on trying to rip them apart every chance it got. But if anything, it made Shiro love Keith even more. And Shiro was even more determined that they find their happy ending together. Because with everything that happened between the two of them, from being seperated, to journeying to the far corners of death and consciousness, Shiro wanted nothing more than to live the rest of his days in some sort of peace, with Keith by his side.

Hopefully, soon, the war would be over, and they could live a peaceful, simple life. 

Shiro was startled out of his thoughts by a quiet, raspy, “Hey.” He jumped, realizing that Keith was awake, watching him. 

Shiro smiled, tears of joy escaping his eyes. “Hey,” he replied, kissing the top of Keith’s hand.

“You found me,” Keith whispered, with a hint of a smile.

”Of course I did,” Shiro replied, stroking Keith’s hair. “ You...you remember, then?”

Keith gave a small nod, wincing slightly. “I...remember everything.”

Shiro sighed. “I wish I could have brought you back sooner.”

Keith smiled, closing his eyes for a moment. “ It’s okay,” he whispered. He looked at Shiro again. “I’m...I’m sorry. That I...I almost didn’t....”

”Hey.” Shiro shook his head. “You have nothing to apologize for. You made it back to us, and that’s what matters. Though I would be happier if I never had to face fear like that again. There’s nothing that scares me more than...the thought of losing you.”

”I feel the same,” Keith said with a sad smile. “That’s why we always save each other. I’ll save you again and again if I have to.”

”As many times as it takes,” Shiro whispered. 

“As many times,” Keith agreed, his eyelids fluttering with fatigue. 

Shiro leaned in and kissed him softly. “Sleep,” he said. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

”I love you,” Keith said, his eyes closing. 

“I love you,” Shiro replied as Keith drifted off to sleep. 

No matter what happened, they would always save one another. 

That’s what it meant to love someone.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A BIG THANK YOU IF YOU COMMENTED OR LEFT KUDOS. Your support keeps me going <3 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the story :) please let me know what you thought, I love hearing from you <3 
> 
> Until next time! <3

**Author's Note:**

> A couple more notes:
> 
> I don't have a beta reader, and do most of my writing at work on my overnight shifts, so if there are grammar/spelling mistakes I don't catch, apologies xD 
> 
> this will be multi chapter, but I haven't decided how long it will actually be yet. I never really know when I start a story- I just go wherever it takes me :) 
> 
> <3


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